Key holder



March 3@ 1926.

A. A. O. SEELER KEY HOLDER Filed Dec. 31, 1924 INVENTOR HLFRED 1610 555 f BY /%WV$q@ ATTORNEYS iatented Mar. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES g 1,579,153 PATENT orrics.

- ALFRED O. SEELER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

KEY HOLDER.

Application filed December 31, 1924. Serial No. 759,144.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. O. SEELER, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Key Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention pertains to holders and has particularly reference to a holder for keys.

.The invention primarily comprehends a key holding device which is particularly designed as a medium for the reception of the keys to a motor car whereby the same maybe completely covered and housed when not in use and whereby the same may be readily swung from a position within the holder for use.

The invention furthermore contemplates a key holder which conforms generally to the shape of the keys which it receives and which is so designed as to frictionally maintain the keys either in a housed position or in a projected position for use.

As a further object the invention provides an improved key holder which facilitates the application or removal ofthe keys.

The invention furthermore resides in the provision of a key holding device which is extremely simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture and produce, which is highly effective in its appearance and eflicient for the purpose for which it is intended.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invent'on resides in the novel construction set to h in the following specification, particularl pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it beingunderstood that the right is reserved 'to embodiments other than those actually illustrated herein, to the full extent indicated by the general meaning ofthe terms in which the claims are expressed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the key holding device illustrating one of the keys partially projected from theholder.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the holder with the keys removed.

Fig. 3 is an end view, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference the holder includes a pair of side plates 10 and 11 which are of substantially identical configuration and which are preferably cut from asingle strip of material bent medially upon themselves to provide a bight portion 12 which connects the same at one end. The material from which the plates are constructed is sufiiciently resil- 1ent to permit of a limited relative swinglng movement of said plates with to each other so that the free ends may be separated or .brought together. The free ends 13 of said plates 10 and 11 are of a substantially circular formation and are provided with the shank portions 14 of reduced elongated formation whereby the plates substantially conform to the shape of the keys K which they accommodate. In order to facilitate the association of the keys with the holder and to allow for their removal and substitution while at the same time permitting of a swinging movement of the keys to expose the shanks from the holder" for use, a screw 15-is employed which is passed through an opening 16 in one of the free ends 13 of one of the plates and said screw is rovided with a reduced threaded extremity 17' which is engaged in thethreaded opening 18 in the free end of the opposite plate. The openings 0 in the head of the ke s K receive the screw shank 15 and the kerf ed head 19 of the screw serves tolimit outward swinging movement of-the platell with respect to the plate 10. Preferably a spring Washer 20 is interposed betweenthe keys and the plate 11 so as to frictionally bind the keys against the plate 10 whereby the same are held frictionally against casual swinging movement from theiradjusted positions. In order to facilitate the engagement of the finger with'the key shanks when housed within the holder, the shanks 14 of the plates .are prbvided with notches 21 on one side thereof. In order to provide means for attaching the holder to a chain or key ring if desired an eye member 22 is carried by the bight portion 12 of the holder.

From the foregoing it willthus be seen that a highly attractive and eiiicient form I of holder has been devised for keys of the plates each having a substantially circular end portion and a shank portion conforming respect generally to the shape of the keys to be held thereby, a resilient integral bridging connection between the ends of the shank port 'ipns of said plates and means extending t rough the opposite free ends of the plates and insertable through the apertures in the keys whereby to frictionally clamp the keys between the plates for swinging movement of the same from a normally covered or housed position between the plate to a position for exposing the shanks of said keys.

2. A key holder including a pair of side plates, each having a substantially circular end portion and a shank portion conforming generally to the shape of the keys to be 15 held thereby a bridging piece integrally connecting the ends of the shank portions, a connecting device coupling the circular ends of the plates, and adapted to pass through the eyes of keys in the holder, and a resilient expansible member around said connecting device for ,frictionally retarding the swinging movement of the keys.

3. A device of the class set forth in claim 2 wherein the connecting device comprises a screw and the expansible member is a spring washer encircling the screw.

ALFRED A. O. SEELER. 

